To understand the cycle of addiction you need to know that mind-altering drugs are essentially painkillers. A person who chooses to take drugs and develops an addiction problem has some underlying unhappiness, sense of hopelessness or physical pain that drives them to choose substance use as a solution to their problems. When an individual experiences unhappiness, hopelessness, boredom or physical discomfort they may choose to try drugs or alcohol as an escape from what they are going through. At first, the alcohol or drugs appears to solve their problem. They feel better and now they seem better able to deal with their problem; this is when the substance becomes valuable to them.

As the individual gradually increases how much of the substance they use they become trapped. Whatever their initial problem, it is now overshadowed by their drug or alcohol abuse. It is at this point that all they can think about is getting and using the substance that is going to make them “feel” better. As their addiction develops the person loses their ability to control how much they use and the negative consequences of their behavior.

The addicted person begins to hide their substance use from those around them. Doing so causes the person to feel dishonest and guilty, which leads them to become withdrawn and difficult to reason with. Their behavior often appears “strange” to those around them. The more the person uses, the more guilty and depressed they become. Typically, the addicted person will sacrifice their personal integrity by lying and stealing to maintain their habit. Their relationships with friends, family, employers and co-workers will deteriorate.

To the addicted person, their drug of choice is now the most important thing in their life. They will throw away their job, finances, dreams and ambitions in order to maintain their substance use. The irony is that the addicted person is chasing an elusive high that their body is likely unable to achieve any longer. As they take more and more of their drug of choice just to be able to “function” they are increasing their tolerance to the drug’s effects.

The user’s body begins to adapt the presence of the substance and expects that it will regularly be ingested. The addicted individual begins to experience drug cravings when they are unable to take the substance and suffers from an overwhelming obsession with getting and using the drug; they will do anything to make the bad feelings of withdrawal end. The person’s addiction progresses deeper and deeper causing them to become increasingly haggard and ill-tempered. Their emotions go up and down so quickly that they may even be mistaken for symptoms of mental illness if not properly diagnosed.

The individual is stuck in the downward spiral of addiction and faces the potential problem of having no job, no money, no friends or family to help them. The individual is trapped by their addiction; the substances they once used to escape have changed them physically and mentally and now control their thoughts and actions.

Narconon Fresh Start and its network of drug rehab facilities: Fort Collins New Life Center, Lone Star Victory Ranch, Rainbow Canyon Retreat and Sunshine Summit Lodge. Every year these drug rehabs are helping addicted persons make real recoveries from their addiction problems and teaching them how to live a life free of drugs and alcohol. Graduates of these drug rehab programs do not take drug replacement medications or drug substation therapy, they do not think of themselves as suffering from a disease and they are not made to feel powerless over their addiction problem. Instead, they are built up to feel powerful over their future and their ability to end their addiction issues. Narconon Fresh Start knows that addiction to drugs and alcohol is NOT a disease and can be ended once and for all. The program is centered on their New Life Detoxification Program and Cognitive Behavioral Modification Model of drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Treating addiction for what it truly is, not a disease but a physical and mental issues that must be overcome along with underlying problems (depression, stress management, shyness, personal relationships, etc.) that need to simultaneously be resolved is the difference between Narconon Fresh Start and other rehab centers. With over 45 years of fully rehabilitated graduates and a high success rate at real and lasting sobriety, Narconon Fresh Start is changing the way people view addiction and the recovery process. Their thousands of graduates over the years are living proof that their programs have the ability to help every level of dependence and every type of substance use.

“Narconon Fresh Start drug rehab helped me return to my real self, free of drugs and alcohol. It was a great program and did so much more for me than just help me get off drugs. I was able to finally address the things in my past that drove me to use. Going through those difficult emotions was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but I’m glad I did it. They no longer haunt me and drag me back into the past. I am living for today and my future. I feel like the person I was before I started abusing alcohol and drugs. My mind and my body are now clear. I have acquired new tools that will keep me be drug free and happy. I recommend the program to those looking for a common sense approach to rehabilitation.” – J.E.

“The cycle of addiction drove me into some of the darkest days of my life. I was doing things I wasn’t proud of and lying to the people I loved on a daily basis. Each day was a challenge. If I couldn’t get ahold of what I felt I needed it would seem like the walls were caving in on me. After completing the Narconon Fresh Start program I’m me again, minus the heroin and other opiates. Their drug rehab program changed how I viewed my life and how I interacted with the world around me. I learned to take responsibility for myself and my choices. I worked on my self-confidence and ability to confront difficult situations. I now have new tools and life skills when things get rough instead of turning to drugs to escape. I’m eternally grateful that I’m not an addict, I don’t have a disease and I don’t have to go to meetings for the rest of my life. Narconon Fresh Start made the difference in my life that no other drug rehab was able to achieve.” -M.V.